Padme Amidala Handmaiden Costumes

Here it is (for more of the post, refer to the RHS thread, page 3)

(from Réka) "The flame dress: as has been mentioned, this dress is composed of at least three layers (four if you count the sash). There's a red underdress with a close-fitting hood and narrow fitted sleeves with some gorgeous appliqué work at the wrists. Over this is a velour dress with hanging sleeves (the sleeves are bag-type, i.e. the bottom end is sewn together, and the hand actually comes out at a side seam.) On top of all that is a velour tabard with an attached hood. The ends of the tabard are the same length as the velour underdress, which makes it almost impossible to see it when the dress is being worn. The velour is garment-dyed in a graduated red-orange-to-yellow shade. (Whoever did the dyeing really knew his or her trade; there is no sudden jump anywhere, and parts of the dress that end up at the same height when worn, are exactly the same shade.) Over all this, there is a red silk satin sash (same material and color as the red underdress) around the waist. The ends of the sash are tucked under each other at the front, but the actual construction details were invisible."

 

Thanks, that helps considerably! I had no idea that there were multiple layers to that gown. That will be a lot easier than trying to make it all one piece. I think I have a couple patterns that I can modify. I have a whole gob of white silk velvet that I can dye for the outer layers, and I picked up some red spandex-type material for the under dress today. I thought that would be easier than satin -- since the sleeves are so fitted, it would be hard to get them on and off if the fabric didn't stretch. I'll post updates when I get started!

 

Kirsten,
How is the burgandy cloak and underdress going? I know you were working on a jedi costume first...

 

You're welcome....:~)

So many costumes, so little time! BTW, would anyone with expertise/strong opinions please post your opnions about Dormé's Coruscant/trailer gown in the thread I started?
Dormé

Thanks!

 

If anyone is having trouble with the navy and lilac/cornflower underdress for hte burgandy cloak-I have figured out pretty good directions to making it. And I do beleive it is navy instead of black-someone asked that earlier in this thread.
Just email me at mom2raiandjas@lycos.com adn I will give you the basic layout-I gave it to Kirsten already!

 

omg, that little post about the flame dress is perfect...I can't actually sew, but I'm gonna get someone to make it for me. Now I can tell them exactly how it's supposed to be made. I seriously thought it was just one huge big dress that you just put over your head.....well, this is just great.

 

Hey QS,

I finished cloak #1 tonight, so I threw my fabric for the handmaiden gown in the wash this evening so I can start that one tomorrow. I'm still waiting for my velvet to get here from Pakistan, but I'll go ahead and make the under under skirt and top, then I'll finish cloak #2, and hopefully by then my fabric will be here.

For those who haven't seen what we're talking about in other threads, I'm making the burgundy velvet handmaiden cloak with the navy/lilac underdress. I'm going to be walking with QS in the C2 costume contest since she's making the Amidala pre-senate gown. For anyone who's interested in making this whole ensemble, QS has drawn up some wonderful instructions for it.

 

I've got a question....so that it might not cost as much....is it possible (for the flame dress) to make the under dress (the red one) just a shirt.....and then make the velour, big dress, just one big thing?

 

I'm planning on doing the red undershirt as a shirt myself (could you imagine how hot that would be otherwise?), and while it certainly would be possible to do the rest as one piece, for me, it will be a lot easier to do two pieces. It's up to you though. There's no way to tell that it isn't just one piece by watching the movie.

 

yeah, it would be hot.
but, thanks for your input. I'm not actually doing it myself..but someone I know, who sews, said that it would be really easy to make (when I told him that it's just one big thing). so yeah....thanx

 

Kirsten, glad to hear about your progress on the pre-senate/Coruscant ensemble...
my fingers are nerly bleeding from the gold threading and pearling on these darn sleeves...it is looking great though...
Amy

 

Once again, I am in awe of all of you. :~) I'm just happy to be able to learn from what you are all willing to share!

WRT the flame undershirt...I don't remember if it's in Réka's post or not, but there is some simple, elegant embroidery on the sleeves of the red parts....and a finger loop/thumb loop to hold in in place. For a simple solution, a lot of the teeny -bopper stores have fitted/stretchy jewel tone shirts that might work. Oh, and the shoes were I believe either a light cream or very pale yellow. :~)

 

The embroidery work actually looks to me like an applique like they have in the wedding department of Hobby Lobby or in a fabric store...the lacy looking pieces you just sew onto a formal gown-but dyed red. You just need to find a couple in a similar shape to what is on the sleeves, and add a small loop to put your finger through-try the shirt on, then make your markings for the loop and placement of the applique.
I have used these before and they are pretty easy-I also beleive it is a stretchy type top...
It would also make sense to me that the shoes would be cream, because that is what the very bottom of the gown is...
I am looking forward to seeing all of you in May, and would love to have pictures with all of my handmaidens...so don't be surprised if I stop you and ask you to pose!
I will have pictures of my progress to show you soon...

 

QS,

You read my mind! The more I look at the pictures, the more I'm convinced that the red top is actually a stretchy spandex type material and not satin. Otherwise, there would have to be some sort of buttons on the bottom of the sleeves, and I haven't seen any indication of that. They look pretty similar (shiny materials!). I'd also be willing to bet that the gown itself is made out of silk velvet and not velour, mainly because of the dye technique they used. Does anyone have a good close up picture of the red sleeves on that dress? I'd like to get an idea of the pattern. I need to find someone with a projection TV so I can take a look at my DVD!

Btw, the top and skirt for my pre-senate underdress are cut out, so tomorrow I'll have those done. For C2, I'm planning on wearing the flame gown on Friday, my Jedi outfit on Saturday, and the burgundy cloak handmaiden outfit on Sunday.

 

I got my burgundy cloak fabric!!

It's gorgeous and light as a feather. I was a little worried about the weight of the velvet since I'd be wearing so many layers, but no worries now! For those of you that are looking, the seller's ebay id is pak_crafts@yahoo.com, and he relists his fabric every three days. His silk velvet is only $9 a yard.

 

I haven't yet figured out my costume "order" for wearing, yet. :~)

For those of you who buy through the Pakistan companies, do they have some way of verifying whether or not they have used child labor in manufacturing their textiles? I know it may sound frightfully stuffy, but I tend towards worrying about stuff like that. Pakistan is one of the countries that organizations have entered to try and change the child labor/education laws, and I want to be supportive of such efforts. I know with the poverty levels, etc., being what they are that the issue isn't black-and-white, but I still am doing my best to avoid child-made fabrics as much as possible. Any guidance you all may have regarding this would be appreciated.


Back to costumes!
The red undersleeves did *not* look stretchy at the display. They in fact had quite a bit of texture to their weave. Also, when I mentioned embroidery, I did mean more of an applique look. I'm just so darn tired lately that I can't think straight!

:~)

 

What GB said, about the red layers. It was definitely a woven fabric, not a knit (which is what most stretchy spandex-type materials would be). But you're right about the silk velvet, KirstenSolo: I used the term "velour" in that description because I wanted to convey the fact that the dress isn't made of standard fabric store type thick polyester velvet. As anybody who has ever bought silk velvet knows, it's usually thinner and lighter than so-called high quality velvets. The displayed dress also exhibited the crushing and rumpling usually associated with velour, but that may have been from the effects of storage and transit. In any case, in my description, "velour" should be interpreted as an adjective, not as a prescription for what type of fabric to use.



[Gah. Who would have thought, when I wrote up that description two years ago, that people would still be referring to it so far down the line? ]

 

GB,

No idea about the child labor thing. I guess the only thing you could do is ask the seller, but if they are using child labor, I doubt he'd tell the truth. Any other ideas, anyone?

I think I might have found the solution for the flame dress undershirt:

Stretch Satin

Heavier than spandex, but it has a little bit of stretch in it so buttons aren't necessary. I'm going to order a few yards of the red, so I'll give a full report when it gets here.

Btw, the Smithsonian's Art of Star Wars display is going to be in Edinburgh, Scotland the same time I am in May. According to the press releases, they're going to have costumes from both episodes I and II, so I'll be sure to take LOTS of pictures to share with everybody when I get back.

 

This is ever-so off-topic...but HM related.
The RHS thread has now been accidentally deleted. If anyone here has recently saved all or part of the thread, please let me know. :~(

 

SPOILER!!

A new picture of the AOTC Queen Of Naboo Handmaid Orange gown had been published in the latest Entertainment Weekly Magazine (I think )

Here's the latest picture but be wary, it also shown the picture (from a distance) of the new Queen of Naboo and the actress' name:
CROWNED GLORY

Not really sure if this costume gonna make it for May 16th for me as I'm having problems balancing school with my final year project (suppose to go full swing this May) and Costuming. But the purple outer robe is coming along fine, just need to stencil on the symbols.

 

Handmaiden costumers,

For those of you making the flame gown and the burgundy pre-senate cloak/gown, I've added a couple new screen caps to my picturetrail album (see my sig). For the flame gown, I have the closest picture of the applique that I was able to find on the DVD, and for the pre-senate costume, I have a view from the back, which shows that the purple headdress reaches all the way to the floor.

 

As some of you had read, I had watch AOTC on Sat at the Charity Premiere here and more shock I found concerning the new Mustard Theed Handmaid Costume

Apparently, the hoodless cloak has several layers to it, like one of those Gothic Lolita gown skirt. The pieces are sew one on top of each other to form layers and is looks like dark maroon to brownish IMHO.

I'll try to verify the color again but anyhow, I can't wait till a real picture of it is released. (It's not in the Visual Dictonary, is it?)

 

I remembered someone mentioning about getting the cap insert for her Handmaid Flame Gown hood but forget where. Will appreciate the address as I'm interested in the golden hair band sold at the same site.

[image=http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/groups/g_3574265/Props/Golden+Metal+Hairband+01.jpg?bcXfq88ATbf.k3uI]

Thanks!

 

Just to keep all the eggs in the same basket for now.

Handmaiden flame gown

Dormé's Gown, Coruscant

A new Dye Thread

Handmaiden colors

Handmaiden Costumes

Dye techniques

Amidala/Padme Costume

Any other related threads I had missed?

 

does anyone have any pics of the EpII handmaiden gown that looks dip dyed in the back...I beleive like violet at the top, yellowish in the middle, and icy blue at the bottom? I HAVE TO MAKE THIS ONE!!!